Jade Chan, a clinical hypnotherapist based in Sheung Wan, says she uses past life regression only as a last resort and is careful about who she recommends it to. 'Hypnosis is often enough,' she says.
With past life regression some people may act on what they 'see' and hurt those they think may have been responsible for pain in a previous life, she says.
'It can have a ripple effect,' says Chan.
But there are success stories, too. Take, for example, a woman who went to see Chan complaining of recurring stomach pains.
'In her past life, she had taken poison to kill herself in a revenge act against her husband,' says Chan.
'But after she took the poison, the husband walked in and she realised it was a mistake and died angry.
'So she had been regretful ever since. Every time she was angry or stressed, the pains came back.